Coordinates: 51°27′50″N 0°15′14″E / 51.464°N 0.254°E / 51.464; 0.254

Dartford
Holy Trinity Church, Dartford High Street
Dartford  Dartford shown within Kent
Population	85,911 (2001)
OS grid reference	TQ538739
- London	18.8 mi (30.3 km)
District	Dartford
Shire county	Kent
Region	South East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DARTFORD
Postcode district	DA
Dialling code	01322
Police	Kent
Fire	Kent
Ambulance	South East Coast
EU Parliament	South East England
UK Parliament	Dartford
List of places: UK • England • Kent

Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles (26 km) east south-east of central London.

The town centre is situated in a valley through which the River Darent flows, and where the old road from London to Dover crossed: hence the name, from Darent + ford. Dartford became a market town in medieval times and, although today it is principally a commuter town for Greater London, it has a long history of religious, industrial and cultural importance. It is an important rail hub; the main through-road now avoids the town itself.

History[link]

In prehistory, the first people appeared in the Dartford area around 250,000 years ago: a tribe of prehistoric hunter-gatherers whose exemplar is called Swanscombe Man. Many other archaeological investigations have revealed a good picture of occupation of the district with important finds from the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age.

When the Romans engineered the Dover to London road (afterwards named Watling Street) it was necessary to cross the River Darent by ford, giving the settlement its name. Roman villa were built along the Darent valley, and at Noviomagus (Crayford), close by. The Saxons may have established the first settlement where Dartford now stands. Dartford manor is mentioned in the Domesday Book, written after the Norman invasion in 1086. It was owned by the king.

The Library and Museum with the war memorial in front

During the medieval period Dartford was an important waypoint for pilgrims and travellers en route to Canterbury and the Continent and various religious orders established themselves in the area. In the 12th century the Knights Templar had possession of the manor of Dartford;^[1] the National Trust property at Sutton-at-Hone, to the south of the town, is a remaining piece of that history. In the 14th century, a priory was established here, and two groups of friars — the Dominicans and the Franciscans — built hospitals here for the care of the sick. At this time the town became a small but important market town.

Wat Tyler, of Peasants' Revolt fame, might well have been a local hero, although three other towns in Kent all claim the same, and there are reasons to doubt the strength of Tyler's connection to Dartford though^[2] the existence of a town centre public house named after him gives some credence to Dartford's claim.

The gatehouse of Henry VIII 's Royal Manor

In the 15th century, two kings of England became part of the town's history. Henry V marched through the town in November 1415 with his troops prior to fighting the French at the Battle of Agincourt; in 1422 Henry's body was taken to Holy Trinity Church by Edmund Lacey, Bishop of Exeter, who performed a funeral. In March 1452, Richard the Duke of York camped on the Brent with ten thousand men, waiting for a confrontation with King Henry VI. The Duke surrendered to the king in Dartford. The place of the camp is marked today by York Road.

The sixteenth century saw significant changes to the hitherto agricultural basis of the market in Dartford, as new industries began to take shape (see below). The priory was destroyed in 1538 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and a new manor house constructed by King Henry VIII. In 1576 Dartford Grammar School was founded, part of the Tudor emphasis on education for ordinary people.

Many Protestants were executed during the reigns of Queen Mary (1553–1554) and Philip and Mary (1554–1558), including Christopher Waid, a Dartford linen-weaver who was burnt at the stake in front of thousands of spectators on the Brent in 1555. The Martyrs Memorial on East Hill commemorates Waid and other Kentish Martyrs.

Industrial history[link]

The earliest industries were those connected with agriculture, such as the brewing of traditional beers and ales. Lime-burning and chalk-mining also had their place. Fulling was another: the cleansing of wool needed a great deal of water, which the river could provide. This led to other water-based industries, using hydropower to operate machinery.

Sir John Spilman set up the first paper mill in England at Dartford in 1588 on a site near Powder Mill Lane, and soon some 600 employees worked there, providing an invaluable source of local employment. Iron-making on the Weald was in full operation at this time, and iron ingots were sent to Dartford, to England's first iron-slitting mill, set up by the Darent at Dartford Creek in 1595 by Godfrey Box, an immigrant from the Low Countries. In 1785, a blacksmith from Lowfield Street began to make engines, boilers and machinery. Some of that machinery was for the local gunpowder factory run by Miles Peter Andrews and the Pigou family. In 1785, the firm of J & E Hall was set up, specialising in heavy engineering, and later refrigerating equipment, and, by 1906, vehicle production.

From those beginnings in the 18th century was to come the industrial base on which the growth and prosperity of Dartford were founded.

In 1840 the mustard factory of Saunders & Harrison was described as being 'perhaps the largest in the kingdom'.^[3] Dartford Paper Mills were built in 1862, when excise duty on paper was abolished. Between 1844-1939 the fabric printing works of Augustus Applegath were in being in Bullace Lane: again a firm using the waters of the river.

The demand created by World War I meant that output at the local Vickers factory multiplied, with a positive effect on the local economy. Burroughs-Wellcome chemical works (later incorporated into GlaxoSmithKline) made Dartford a centre for the pharmaceutical industry. During the war, many Belgian refugees arrived in the town. Unable to accommodate them all, many people were housed with volunteers.^{[citation needed]}

Dartford Civic Centre

There has been a large power station at Littlebrook on the Thames, to the north of the town, since 1939. The current station, which features one of the tallest chimneys in the UK, dates from about 1978.

The Mazda motor manufacturer has its UK head office at the large Thames-side Crossways Business Park.

In early 2006 the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) purchased a 2.6 hectare site on the edge of the town which had been used by Unwins, an off licence chain that went into administration in 2005. They also purchased the neighbouring Matrix Business Centre to protect its future. They intend to develop the site as 'Dartford Northern Gateway' with a mixture of retail and other businesses and housing.

Geography[link]

The quarry at Bluewater, showing the underlying Chalk

Dartford lies within the area known as the London Basin. The low-lying marsh to the north of the town consists of London Clay, and the alluvium brought down by the two rivers - the Darent and the Cray - whose confluence is in this area. The higher land on which the town stands, and through which the narrow Darent valley runs, consists of chalk surmounted by the Blackheath Beds of sand and gravel.

As a human settlement, Dartford became established as a river crossing-point with the coming of the Romans; and as a focal point between two routes - that from west to east being part of the main route connecting London with the Continent; and the southerly route following the Darent valley. As a result the town's main road pattern makes the shape of letter 'T'. The Dartford Marshes to the north, and the proximity of Crayford in the London Borough of Bexley to the west, mean that the town's growth is to the south and east. Wilmington is to all intents and purposes part of the town to the south; whilst the almost continuous Thames Gateway development means that there is little to show the town boundary in an easterly direction.

Within the town boundaries there are several distinct areas: the town centre around the parish church and along the High Street; the Joyce Green area; Temple Hill estate constructed in 1927; the Brent; Fleet Downs; as well as two important areas of open space and several industrial estates. The open spaces are Central Park alongside the river; and Dartford Heath (see below).

Climate[link]

Like most of the United Kingdom, Dartford has an oceanic climate.

Dartford Heath[link]

This area to the south-west of Dartford covers some 314 acres (127 ha) of open space. Historically it has always been of importance: prehistoric barrows and Bronze Age artefacts having been discovered here. The first recorded cricket match took place here in 1723; and the Society of Royal Kentish Bowman were briefly established here between 1785-1802. The nearby area is still known as Bowmans.

The Heath is an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It contains three ponds (Donkey Pond, Woodland Pond and North Pond) and a variety of habitats: including acid grassland, broadleaved semi-natural woodland, heather and gorse, as well as other plant life.^[5] It is common land and therefore escaped being enclosed during the late 18th and the early 19th centuries. It is also the original source for the name of the Dartford Warbler. Dartford Heath is used as a local recreation and dog walking area, but suffers from being close to the local recycling centre which sometimes leaves windblown rubbish along proximal roads. picture.

Demographics[link]

In 1801, Dartford’s population was c.2400; by the 2001 census it had increased to 85,911.^[6] Much of this growth can be apportioned to the fact that Dartford became, for some time in its existence, an industrial town. Unemployment levels, taken from the 2001 census, were at 3.8%. By 2006 this had decreased to 2.2%, somewhat below the national average.^[7]

Economy[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

Low cost shopping units in the Priory shopping centre

Some of Dartford's most prominent industries suffered extreme decline in the 20th century, causing redundancies and unemployment. Brewing, paper-making, flour milling and the manufacture of cement were the main industries to suffer extinction or significant decline. Nearby Swanscombe Cement Works (now redeveloped into Bluewater shopping centre) was closed by Blue Circle in 1990. This industry had brought great prosperity to the companies involved in cement manufacture, but left a legacy locally of despoiled derelict land and pollution. In 1990 Dartford contained some 1,700 acres (6.9 km²) of spoiled land resulting from extractive industries. Cement-dust pollution from local cement works was a regular subject of complaint in the local press throughout the 20th century.

Since the closure of Dartford's major employers: Seagers, J. & E. Hall, Vickers, the reduction and subsequent closure of Burroughs Wellcome (now GlaxoSmithKline), and the re-development of nearby Bexleyheath as a shopping town in the 1970s (and the more recent development of the Bluewater Shopping Centre), Dartford lost a significant number of its rising Generation X demographic to more economically viable jobs, towns and cities.^{[citation needed]} Dartford is still home to major brands such as Sainsbury's, W.H. Smiths, Boots and Marks & Spencer food. With the opening of the Major Bluewater regional shopping centre just outside of the town the high street has seen a growth in cheaper brands such as Primark and Wilkinson taking over empty premises.

In 2007 Dartford saw an increase in the number of visible household brands in its environs as B&Q, Marks & Spencer food, TK Maxx and Asda Living opened new outlet stores in the town centre. Before this Safeway had taken part in the development of Dartford's second shopping centre, The Orchards, located next to the Orchard Theatre. The Safeway's site was eventually taken over by Waitrose and continues to be only one of a few major brands visible in, or just off the high-street area of the town.^{[citation needed]} The historical and once bustling main High Street and adjacent shopping centre, The Priory, continues to fall into a decline, and the large building previously occupied by the Co-Op Department Store is also standing empty, presumably awaiting a buyer. The problems with obtaining planning permission for the Lowfield centre superstore development and associated residential units have been compounded by the recession. This has created further delay in resolving the dereliction of the town.

Culture and community[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

The River Darent in Central Park

Dartford has two major buildings concerned with performance art. The Orchard Theatre, located in the town centre, is a fully professional theatre, providing audiences with a large range of drama, dance, music and entertainment. The Mick Jagger Centre (built in the grounds of Dartford Grammar School) in Shepherds Lane was completed in 2000 and provides facilities for community arts across a wide region. The local museum in Market Street is housed in the same building as the library.

Central Park is a formal park in the town centre. It comprises 26 acres (110,000 m²) of land.

Sport[link]

Dartford is the home of one football club, Dartford F.C., who play home matches at Princes Park Stadium and compete in the Blue Square Premier.

Health[link]

There are, or have been, many hospital buildings in Dartford, the majority of which have been closed since the opening of Darent Valley Hospital. One of the best-known, Stone House Hospital, in Cotton Lane to the east of the town, was opened on 16 April 1866 as the "City of London Lunatic Asylum". It was, and still is, a large castellated structure built in spacious grounds. It remained under the direct administration of the City of London until 1948, when it was transferred to the National Health Service (NHS). It remains one of the largest and most visible structures in Dartford, and was until recently operated by the NHS to manage regional health care delivery, and was also home to a nursing school, Livingstone Hospital on East Hill. The main buildings of this facility are now closed, and are slated to be turned into luxury flats.^[8]

Transport[link]

The route of a Celtic ancient trackway which the Romans later paved and identified as Iter III on the Antonine Itinerary, later to be called Watling Street, and which the current A2 roughly follows, passed close to the town. After the Romans left Britain, it fell out of use, as the town itself developed and traffic went into the town itself, the name Watling Street transferring to the new route. The introduction of stagecoach services increased the amount of traffic through the town, so that by the 18th century it had become necessary to control the upkeep of such a heavily-used road. Turnpike Trusts were set up by Act of Parliament. Dartford was served by two: that for Watling Street; and the road south to Sevenoaks, both brought into being between 1750 and 1780.

From 1925 the A2 main road took traffic away from Dartford town centre via the Princes Road bypass. Today the original main road through the town is the A226. The erstwhile turnpike road south to Sevenoaks is now the A225). A newer by-pass is the A206, which skirts the town to the north. Its prime purpose is to carry traffic from the riverside industrial developments on to the Dartford Crossing from both west and east. Dartford is perhaps most well known for the latter, the main mode of crossing the River Thames to the east of London, where the southbound A282 (part of the London Orbital) crosses the river via the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge toll bridge, opened in 1991. The northbound carriageway crosses via the twin bore Dartford Tunnel. The first tunnel was opened in 1963, its twin in 1980.^[9]

Dartford railway station is a busy junction serving three routes. The first railway from London to reach Dartford was the North Kent Line via Woolwich in 1849, connecting at Gravesend with the line through to the Medway Towns. Later two more lines were built, the Dartford Loop Line through Sidcup which opened in 1866, and the Bexleyheath Line which opened in 1895. All the lines were electrified on 6 June 1926.

The Fastrack express bus system connects the Kent Thameside area, and was completed by early 2008.

The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge forms the southbound lane of the Dartford Crossing from Essex to Kent.

Education[link]

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Dartford houses several secondary schools, which largely operate within the county council-run grammar school system:

• Dartford Grammar School
• Dartford Grammar School for Girls
• Wilmington Grammar School for Boys
• The Grammar School for Girls, Wilmington
• Wilmington Academy
• Dartford Technology College
• Leigh Technology Academy
• North West Kent College

Places of worship[link]

The ford, now Dartford Bridge over the River Darent, and Holy Trinity Church

Richard Trevithick memorial at St. Edmund's Park.

The Parish Church, Holy Trinity, is situated on the western bank of the River Darent, from where a hermit would conduct travellers across the ford. The church was originally a 9th century Saxon structure, but gained later Norman additions. In the 13th century a Royal Wedding was celebrated there, thus today the choristers are entitled to wear scarlet cassocks. Also on display within the church is a brass plaque commemorating the work of Richard Trevithick, the pioneer of steam propulsion, who lived, worked and died in the town.

The graveyard is situated in St Edmund's Pleasance on the summit of East Hill (the place Richard Trevithick is buried), which gave rise to a traditional and derogatory rhyme of Dartford's people 'Dirty Dartford, Stinking People, bury their dead above the steeple'. The church actually has no steeple; it has a tower featuring a ring of eight bells.

Notable people[link]

This article is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this article to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (January 2010)

The following have, or had, some connection with Dartford:

• Aaron morris (1991- ), British Comedian
• Anne of Cleves (1515–1557), fourth wife of Henry VIII, who lived in Dartford after their divorce
• Peter Blake (1932- ), pop artist.
• Ivor Gurney (1890–1937), composer and poet
• Henry Havelock (1795–1857), British general
• Barry Hawkins (1979- ), Professional Snooker Player
• Henry Ambrose Hunt (1866–1946), meteorologist
• Mick Jagger (1943- ), vocalist of The Rolling Stones
• Keith Richards (1943- ), guitarist of The Rolling Stones
• Sidney Keyes (1922–1943), war poet
• John Latham (1743–1837), ornithologist
• Martina Bergman-Österberg (1849–1915), physical education pioneer and founder of Dartford College
• Alfred Sturge (1816–1901), Pastor and missionary
• Margaret Thatcher (1925- ), former British Prime Minister, ran for the Dartford parliamentary seat in 1950 and 1951
• Richard Trevithick (1771–1833), inventor and mining engineer
• William James Erasmus Wilson (1809–1884), surgeon
• Malcolm Allison (1927–2010), football player and manager
• Andrea Arnold (1968- ), film director 2004 Oscar winner and 2007 BAFTA winner
• Graham Dilley (1959–2011 ), Kent and England cricketer
• Topsy Ojo (1985- ), London Irish and England rugby union full-back, attended Dartford Grammar School
• Min Patel (1970- ), Kent and England cricketer
• Paul Samson (1953–2002), rock guitarist
• Malcolm Wakeford, musician, composer
• Len Goodman, dancer and Strictly Come Dancing judge
• Mackenzie Crook (1971- ) Actor

International links[link]

Twin towns[link]

• Hanau, Germany (Hesse)
• Capelle, Netherlands (Holland) since 1989
• Tallinn, Estonia since 1992
• Rhienfelden, Switzerland (Switzerland)

Associated towns[link]

• Gravelines, France since 1992

See also[link]

• Dartford Cable Tunnel

References[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Kent History Illustrated - Frank W Jessup (KCC, 1966)
• Railways of the Southern Region - Geoffrey Body (PSL Field Guide 1989)
• Local History - Mark Chatwin (1997)

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dartford, Kent

• The Dartford town archive
• Two maps of the area c.1800
• The Website for St Albans Church Dartford

v t e Towns and villages in the Borough of Dartford, Kent, England Bean Betsham Darenth Dartford Greenhithe Hawley Hook Green Joydens Wood Longfield New Barn Northfleet Green Southfleet Stone Sutton-at-Hone Swanscombe Temple Hill Wilmington List of places in Kent

Mary Portas aka Mary Queen of Shops (born 28 May 1960),^[1] is an English businesswoman, retail expert, and broadcaster, best-known for her retail and business related television shows, and most recently for her appointment by the British prime minister to lead a review into the future of Britain's high streets.

Early life and education[link]

Portas was born and brought up in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, in a family of five children. She was educated at St Joan of Arc Catholic School, Rickmansworth.^[2] Her mother died of meningits when Portas was aged 16, and her father, a sales director of Brooke Bond, the tea manufacturer,^[3] died of a heart attack two years later forcing Portas, aged 18, to turn down a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in order to look after her younger brother.

Career[link]

Portas started her career in retail with a Saturday job in John Lewis. She then had a part-time, and later a full-time, job with Harrods where she was responsible for window displays for about three years,^[2] before joining TopShop as display manager. While in this job, she was spotted by Burton Group chairman Sir Ralph Halpern.^[4]

Her next role brought Portas her first taste of fame and public acclaim, as creative director of Harvey Nichols. Portas is credited with turning Harvey Nichols into a leading modern fashion brand.^[5] She created the groundbreaking Harvey Nichols window displays that became part of the guided tours of London — one of her most famous displays was "Autumn Intrusion" - a commission by artist Thomas Heatherwick that won a D&AD Gold award in 1997.^[6][7] She then persuaded the store's owners to use younger designers, and gained publicity in the BBC’s Absolutely Fabulous series in the 1990s, after promising writer and star of the show Jennifer Saunders the run of the store for research in return for Saunders namechecking the business.^[8] By the age of 30, Portas was a member of the company's board.

Portas left Harvey Nichols in 1997 to launch Yellowdoor, a Retail & Brand agency that she now runs with Peter Cross. Yellowdoor advises retail, fashion, luxury, and consumer brands on Strategy, Communications, and Marketing.^[9] Yellowdoor's current clients include, Westfield London, Westfield Stratford City, Clarks, Swarovski, Havaianas and Australian retail brands Sportsgirl and Sussan.^[9]

Yellowdoor has worked with many retail and luxury brands, including Patek Phillipe, Boden, John Smedley^{[disambiguation needed ]}, Holland & Holland, Clinique, Louis Vuitton, Oasis, Radley, House of Fraser Acne and Matalan.

Portas is claimed to be one of the UK's foremost authorities on retail and brand communication.^[10][11] She regularly travels around the world advising on retail strategy and frequently lectures on the theme of brands and retail. Notably, Portas spoke alongside Neil Armstrong at the Cannes Palais Festivals in October 2007, ^[12][13] and is due to speak at the Yorkshire International Business Convention with the Dalai Lama in June 2012 ^[14].

Notable career milestones[link]

Before the age of 30, Portas became a member of the board at Harvey Nichols.

In 1997 Portas left Harvey Nichols to launch her consultancy business, Yellowdoor. When asked in Radio Times interview why she left Harvey Nichols, Portas is quoted to have said "I wanted to create my own world. I wanted freedom."

Mary's first television appearance was a a guest on Richard & Judy in 2005, where she was spotted by television producer Patricia Llewellyn who would go on to sign Portas to production company Optomen Television.

Portas began writing her weekly 'Shop!' column for the Telegraph Magazine in 2005, in which she reviews a different retailer every week.

The column is said to have inspired Mary's first television series, Mary Queen of Shops, which aired on BBC2 on 31st May 2007.

On 19 June 2009, in a ceremony at Galashiels, Heriot-Watt University awarded Portas a Doctorate of Letters in recognition of her career and her contribution to the advancement of marketing and brand communications within the retail sector.

In December 2009, Portas opened her first permanent 'Living & Giving Shop' in support of charity Save the Children. She was also named as the charity's Glabal Retail Ambassador.

In 2011, Portas moved from BBC to Channel 4. Her first series for the channel was 'Mary Portas: Secret Shopper' which aired in January 2011.

In August 2011, Portas opened her own shop, called "Mary & House of Fraser" within UK department store House of Fraser's Oxford Street flagship. The store stocks her first fashion collection, called 'Mary Portas', as well as other product collaborations including a footwear collection with Clarks - "Mary & Clarks", and a hoisery collection with Charnos - "Mary & Charnos". Portas also launched a new product innovation, 'Armery', which is a hoisery-type garment for the arms. The product is designed to "banish bingo wings".

In the December 2011 issue of fashion industry journal Drapers, Mary was named as the 6th most influential person in fashion.

On the 13th December 2011, Mary published The Portas Review, an independant report into the future of Britain's high streets. She was appointed in May 2011 by British Prime Minister, David Cameron. The report sets out 28 key recommendations to rescue Britains high streets.

Books[link]

Portas' first book, Windows - the Art of Retail Display, ISBN 978-0500019443 was published in five languages by Thames & Hudson.

Her second book, How to Shop with Mary, Queen of Shops, ISBN 978-1846072147 was published by BBC Books in 2007 to accompany the television series. The book was co-authored by Peter Cross, Josh Sims and Melanie Rickey.

Journalism[link]

Since 2005 Mary has written a weekly column Shop!, for the Daily Telegraph magazine, reviewing shops across the country. She started writing the column in 2005 and it was her critiquing of shops that was the inspiration for the BBC documentary and accompanying book.^[15] Each week, Portas reviews shop based on their shopability, service and website - awarding retailers marks out of 10.

Portas' top-rated shops include Louis Vuitton, Reiss, John Lewis, Liberty and APC.

Between 2008 and 2010 Portas wrote a weekly column for consumer fashion magazine Grazia, offering career advice and mentoring to the magazine's readers.

Television career[link]

Portas' programmes are shown in over 20 international territories, including on Australia's Lifestyle Channel.

Mary Queen of Shops (2007 - 2010) was Portas' first series. The format follows Mary helping struggling independent shops by offering retail and business advice. As part of the process, retailers also received a full shop-fit redesign overseen by Portas.

Series Guide:

• Series 1 (4 episodes): 31st May - 21st June 2007 - this series saw Portas visit 4 failing independent fashion boutiques aiming to revitalize their businesses. The BBC published a tie-in book entitled How to Shop with Mary Queen of Shops.
• Series 2 (6 episodes): 9th June - 14th July 2008
• Series 3 (6 episodes): 7th June - 12th July 2009 - this series saw Mary broaden her focus from fashion boutiques to saving key shops on the high street. Retailers inluded a local shop, a greengrocer, a baker, an interiors shop, a hairdressers, and a hardware shop. Notably, the first episode in the series featured a Wimbledon based bakery whose owner refused to accept any of Mary's recommendations. The series earned Portas a nomination for the British Academy Television Awards's Best Feature award, which was eventually won by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's series Hugh's Fish Fight.

Mary Queen of Charity Shops (5th November - 19th November 2009) saw Portas apply the business makeover format to the Orpington branch of Save the Children's network of Charity shops. By the end of the series Mary had successfully turned this worst-performing store into the best.

Mary Portas: Secret Shopper (19th January - 9th February 2011; 6 episodes)was Portas' first series following her move to Channel 4, and saw her using different disguises and secret filming to reveal bad customer service in UK shops.

Mary Queen of Frocks (4th October - 18th October 2011; 3 episodes) was a departure from the produced shows that Mary had presented previously, and instead was an observational documentary that followed Mary as she tried to launch her own shop aimed at 40+ women with UK retailer House of Fraser.

Mary's Bottom Line (March 2012; 3 episodes) shows Portas try to revitalize the UK's manufacturing industry by reopening an underwear factory in Manchester ^[16].

Other television appearances[link]

Mary hosted an episode of The Money Programme called Mary Portas: Save Our Shops in June 2009.

She appeared in the Panorama documentary On The Rack which exposed unethical production practices by fast fashion retailer Primark; and has appeared on The Apprentice: You're Fired four times.

In March 2011, Portas regularly appeared in the Channel 4 series Lily Allen: From Riches to Rags, in which she advised the pop star on her venture into fashion retail.

Mary's Living and Giving Shops for Save the Children[link]

Following the BBC2 series Mary Queen of Charity Shops in June 2009, Mary was appointed as Global Retail Ambassador for Save the Children.^[17] She developed the "Living & Giving" concept as a new type of charity shop that puts the local community at its heart - "not just a shop, but a place to inspire, share, create, meet and discover".^[18] The first Living & Giving shop Portas opened was a three-week-long pop up at Westfield London, earning the charity over £190,000.^[19] Portas has gone on to open five permanent Living & Giving shops, in Edinburgh, Westbourne Grove, Primrose Hill and Parson's Green and Barnes.^[18][19][20]

Retail venture[link]

In August 2011 she opened her first retail shop as a concession in House of Fraser's Oxford Street branch.^[21] The shop, named Mary & House of Fraser, sells clothing and lifestyle products aimed at the 40+ female market,^[22] and was filmed for a Channel 4 documentary Mary Queen of Frocks that aired in October 2011.

Government appointment[link]

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In May 2011 she was appointed by the Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to lead an independent review into the future of the high street. She published her report "The Portas Review" on 13 December 2011.^[23] Portas states the aim of her review to "put the heart back into the centre of our High Streets, re-imagined as destinations for socialising, culture, health, wellbeing, creativity and learning".^[24] The review goes on to detail 28 specific recommendations^[25] -

1. Put in place a “Town Team”: a visionary, strategic and strong operational management team for high streets

2. Empower successful Business Improvement Districts to take on more responsibilities and powers and become “Super-BIDs”

3. Legislate to allow landlords to become high street investors by contributing to their Business Improvement District

4. Establish a new “National Market Day” where budding shopkeepers can try their hand at operating a low-cost retail business

5. Make it easier for people to become market traders by removing unnecessary regulations so that anyone can trade on the high street unless there is a valid reason why not

6. Government should consider whether business rates can better support small businesses and independent retailers

7. Local authorities should use their new discretionary powers to give business rate concessions to new local businesses

8. Make business rates work for business by reviewing the use of the RPI with a view to changing the calculation to CPI

9. Local areas should implement free controlled parking schemes that work for their town centres and we should have a new parking league table

10. Town Teams should focus on making high streets accessible, attractive and safe

11. Government should include high street deregulation as part of their ongoing work on freeing up red tape

12. Address the restrictive aspects of the ‘Use Class’ system to make it easier to change the uses of key properties on the high street

13. Put betting shops into a separate ‘Use Class’ of their own

14. Make explicit a presumption in favour of town centre development in the wording of the National Planning Policy Framework

15. Introduce Secretary of State “exceptional sign off ” for all new out-of-town developments and require all large new developments to have an “affordable shops” quota

16. Large retailers should support and mentor local businesses and independent retailers

17. Retailers should report on their support of local high streets in their annual report

18. Encourage a contract of care between landlords and their commercial tenants by promoting the leasing code and supporting the use of lease structures other than upward only rent reviews, especially for small businesses

19. Explore further disincentives to prevent landlords from leaving units vacant

20. Banks who own empty property on the high street should either administer these assets well or be required to sell them

21. Local authorities should make more proactive use of Compulsory Purchase Order powers to encourage the redevelopment of key high street retail space

22. Empower local authorities to step in when landlords are negligent with new “Empty Shop Management Orders”

23. Introduce a public register of high street landlords

24. Run a high profile campaign to get people involved in Neighbourhood Plans

25. Promote the inclusion of the High Street in Neighbourhood Plans

26. Developers should make a financial contribution to ensure that the local community has a strong voice in the planning system

27. Support imaginative community use of empty properties through Community Right to Buy, Meanwhile Use and a new “Community Right to Try”

28. Run a number of High Street Pilots to test proof of concept

On 13 December the Prime Minister David Cameron issued a statement thanking Portas for her review and explaining that the Government would respond to her recommendations in Spring 2012.^[26] Cameron said "I am delighted that Mary Portas has produced such a clear vision of how we can create vibrant and diverse town centres and breathe life back into our high streets."^[26]

Portas Pilot towns[link]

On 4 February 2012 the minister for local government, Grant Shapps, announced that towns across England could bid to become Portas pilot areas. A total of 12 towns were to receive a share of £1m, as well as the support of the Minister, Whitehall, and Mary Portas.^[27][28] In May 2012 the twelve towns to be helped were announced as: Bedford, Croydon, Dartford, Greater Bedminster, Liskeard, Margate, Market Rasen, Nelson, Lancashire, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees and Wolverhampton.^[29]

Twitter[link]

She was named as one of the top 100 Tweeters in the UK by The Independent in 2011.

Personal life[link]

Portas was married to chemical engineer and Unilever executive Graham Portas for 14 years and together they had son Mylo (born 19 January 1994)^[30] and daughter Verity.^[2][31] Portas now lives with her civil partner,^[32] Grazia magazine fashion features editor Melanie Rickey, in Maida Vale with her children, after an amicable divorce from her husband.^[3] In 2012 it was announced in The Times that Rickey was pregnant with her first child.^[31]

She spends her money on art, wine, theatre and chocolate, and enjoys gardening.^[2]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Portas' website
• Shop!, The Telegraph's Saturday magazine
• Channel 4 website
• Portas' Twitter
• Yellowdoor - Portas' retail consultancy
• Mary Portas at the Internet Movie Database

This article's lead section may not adequately summarize its contents. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of the article's key points. (March 2011)

Garry Hill is an English football manager who is currently the manager of Conference South club Woking, having resigned as manager of Rushden & Diamonds in February 2009.

Career[link]

Hill began his non-league managerial career with Heybridge Swifts where he took the village team to the Isthmian Premier and the FA Cup first round for the first time. He then moved on to St Albans City before in the summer of 1999 taking over as manager of Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. who he led to the Isthmian League title and promotion to the Conference in his first season in charge. The following season, Hill's side finished third in the Conference and took Premiership Charlton Athletic to a replay in the Third Round of the FA Cup. They again reached the FA Cup Third Round in the 2001-02 season, losing 4-1 to Ipswich Town after taking the lead, and finished second in the Conference, missing promotion to the Football League on goal difference. The following season saw another run in the FA Cup, beating Plymouth Argyle after a replay in the Third Round before losing 1-0 to Norwich City thanks to an injury time goal. Their league form was not particularly good until the latter stages of the season when they won eleven consecutive games and qualified for the play-off final, losing 3-2 in extra-time to Doncaster Rovers. The 2003-04 season was not a success and Hill resigned soon after a 9-0 defeat at home to Hereford United late in the season.

In May 2004 he took over as manager of ambitious Isthmian League side Hornchurch, but left shortly after the club went into administration in January 2005 after their owners, the Carthium Group ceased trading. At the time the club were top of the table and had been dubbed the 'non-league Chelsea' due to their extravagant spending on players from higher level clubs.

Hill took over as manager of Weymouth on 22 March 2005^[1] and led them to promotion to the Conference at the end of the following season. On 21 October 2006, Hill was rushed to hospital in Dorchester after suffering chest pains near the end of Weymouth's Conference game with Rushden & Diamonds. Tests revealed no heart problems and he returned to the club after a short period of rest.^[2] In January 2007, Hill, and his assistant Kevin Hales, were sacked by Weymouth, following the announcement of a major restructuring of the club,^[3] which saw the entire first-team squad placed on the transfer-list in order to cut unsustainable costs at the club.^[4]

In February 2007 Hill was appointed as the manager of Rushden & Diamonds following the dismissal of Graham Westley.^[5] In September 2007 Hill was involved in an incident after a 1-1 draw with Salisbury City. For head-butting Salisbury assistant manager Tommy Widdrington, Hill received a two-week suspension and a 10-game touchline ban from the FA.^[6] On 10 February 2009, Hill resigned as manager of Rushden & Diamonds.^[7]

Hill was appointed manager of Woking on 20 January 2011. Since he joined has produced a number of wins, one against second placed Ebbsfleet United 3–0. Woking finished the 2010-2011 season in 5th place in the Conference South. Hill and Woking kicked off the 2011-2012 season with a 5-0 victory over Sutton United. Woking have now had 101 points from a possible 129 under the management of Garry Hill, losing just 4 games.

Honours[link]

As a manager[link]

Promotions[link]

• 2005–06: Conference South Champion (promotion to Football Conference National) - Weymouth

References[link]

External links[link]

• Garry Hill career stats at Soccerbase